Newcomer Daisley in B’dos team at Caribbean Classic Golf in DR

Newcomer Newton Daisley has been included in a four-member Barbados team competing in the 2017 Caribbean Classic Golf Championships, now on in the Dominican Republic.

The "Classic Championships" – which were revamped last year in Jamaica to include three additional competitions which were previously contested as part of the Caribbean Amateur Championships – are being played in Punta Cana from May 4 to 7.

Daisley, 55, will team with veteran Barbados player Carlsen Leacock to represent Barbados in the senior men's division (50 years and over) against teams from across the Caribbean.

“It is a great feeling to represent your country. I was trying to make the team for the past three years and I will certainly give it my best shot," he said.

Top Barbados player James Johnson and fellow experienced national player Julian Jordan are the other team members and will combine to defend the Ramon Baez-Romano Trophy, in the mid-amateurs division, which Barbados won last year in Jamaica.

Barbados won the 2016 Ramon Baez Trophy as James Johnson and Marcus Clarke teamed for the first time to defeat second placed Jamaica by two shots and Trinidad by five shots in Montego Bay.

Both divisions will be contested under the two-ball/ better-ball format and team manager and BGA President, Trevor Tasker, said he expects the Barbados players to be very competitive .

"We are defending the mid-amateurs division (35 years and over) and we are looking to win it again. We have capable and experienced players and we should give a good account of ourselves,” said Tasker.

The Classic Championships are being played over 54 holes and teams from Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, host country Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, US Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Suriname are competing.

Following the Caribbean Classic, male and female regional teams will return to the Dominican Republic in July for the 2017 Caribbean Amateur Championships, where they will compete for the Hoerman Cup and the George Teale Trophy.